Melody of Love

by Rebecca Walkiw

A good many years ago, my husband, Jurij, recorded a lovely selection of music for me on a tape-cassette. The first time I recall playing the cassette, I was in the kitchen washing dishes and was so enchanted by a musical composition entitled ‹Gandalf› that I stopped what I was doing in order to listen and was moved to tears. Although somewhat surprised by my response, I didn’t think too much about it at the time and went on about my work. However, the next time I played the cassette, the same thing happened again. I should mention here that I have a habit of playing music when I clean the house. And though my attention was not focused on the music, as it was playing in the background, I suddenly stopped what I was doing, as the first melodious tones of that musical piece resounded, and I listened attentively. Once again, I was overcome by such a wonderous feeling that I was moved to tears. From that day on, every time that piece of music played, I stopped whatever I was doing just to listen.

Since I had no conscious association with the music, I wondered why it moved me the way it did. After some contemplation, I realised, it was the beautifully harmonious melody that touched strings within me, causing my heart and mind to vibrate with wonderment. And every time the music played, it awakened in me an indescribable feeling of love and joy, followed by an aching desire to find my way back to a long-ago forgotten land of inner harmony and never leave it again. I was certain I would find that land again, for it had been there all along, hidden deep beneath the worries and cares of everyday life. I had only to follow the melody ringing within. I was equally certain that every human being could hear this melody if he or she wanted to, and if each of us would only stop and listen, we would awaken to the realisation that all life is one and that true change comes from within. And from that moment on, we would work together as a unified human race in the spirit of true love and humanity to transform our planet into a beautiful paradise again, the way it was very, very long ago.

Over the years, I have discovered that I am not the only one with vague, dreamlike memories of a long-ago forgotten land of harmony. Ancient legends and sagas from all cultures of the world tell of a time very long ago, when fairies, dwarfs, elves and the children of Earth lived together in harmony. Even today, occasional sightings of dwarfs and elves are reported throughout the world, usually in very secluded places – far away from the hecticness of modern life – where nature is still intact.

It is even said that some human beings, who are pure of heart and who live in harmony with nature, have been able to observe these little beings as they go about their daily work and have even caught a glimpse inside their world – an enchanting wonderland full of natural splendour and beauty.

One day, as I was browsing through a book of fairy tales by ‹Billy› Eduard Albert Meier, also known as BEAM, I came across a fairy tale entitled ‹Die Märchenprinzessin› which translates into English as ‹The Fairy-Tale Princess›. It told of a time long, long ago on Earth, when the human being still listened to the melody in his or her heart and lived in harmony with nature. I was astonished at how befitting it described the fate of the human being, i.e. the logical consequences of his or her works. I have therefore translated the following passages from this fairy tale into English. The word ‹fairy› or ‹fay› by the way stems from the Latin word ‹fatum› (plural ‹fata›) which means destiny, fate or prophecy.